Using just a mid-range digital camera and a 20 year old telescope astronomy enthusiast Rob Bullen, 40, was amazed to get the shot.

He said: “I have never been able to capture a space shuttle in this flying configuration. It is the Holy grail of International Space Station imaging.”

Mr Bullen, who has had a passion for the skies since the age of 10, said: “Some years ago I thought it would

be interesting to try and view the space station through my telescope and was shocked by the amount of detail you could see on it.”

The realisation inspired him to pick up his Canon Eos 40D DSLR and 8.5 inch Newton telescope as the station passed over the UK and the shuttle was in orbit last Saturday.

The IT manager rigged his 10 megapixel camera up to the telescope and had just three minutes to capture the event which raced across the sky at a similar pace to a jet plane.

He tracked the two craft across the skies but it was only when the cloud parted at the right time that he captured this rare gem.

He said: “I had no idea that night the shuttle would only be 45 minutes away from docking with the station. After a very cloudy day the skies cleared to allow a view of this stunning pass of the ISS and Discovery.

“I could not believe the timing was so fortuitous to show the shuttle closing in on the station. I captured this, what I guess could potentially be, a once in a lifetime image of these two spaceships traveling as separate craft.

Mr Bullen said: “Needless to say I was totally shocked and delighted to see the shuttle closing in on the ISS.

“Although over the years I have obtained clearer images of the station on its own to capture such a iconic image of mankind’s only permanently manned outpost in space and the most sophisticated flying machine ever built on its last flight before ending its days bound to Earth in a museum was a real privilege and something I will treasure.

“I am unlikely to capture such an image again with only two Shuttle flights left before they are decommissioned.”